Be Wild Together
by Moonyblue
Summary: Sam and Ace are attacked by a cougar, they both were injured.  When they recovered, Sam's family might take Ace away.  So she takes Ace and a few of her horse friends to live in freedom...in the wild....FUTURE VIOLENCESAD PARTSPOSSIBLE FOUL LANGUAGE
1. The Attack and Escape

**The darkness of night fell over the Nevada sky like a cool blanket. Sam walked off the porch and towards the barn at a brisk walk. A high-pitched squeal pierced the night silence. Sam smiled and jogged towards the familiar box stall. "Hello my pretty girl." Same cooed to the little, delicate filly that was being nuzzled by her mother, Dark Sunshine, affectionately.**

**Sam retrieved Ace's tack and went to the ten acre pasture. "Hi Ace. Wanna go for a ride?" She asked him quietly. Ace bobbed his head and Sam took that as a yes and she slipped the halter off of his head. After she finished tacking him up, she led him out of the pasture and heard the other horses' protests. She mounted him and maneuvered him towards the La Charla River.**

**Ace tossed his head and Sam squeezed him into a jog. His bouncy jog carried them to the plank bridge that led to the road on the other side. Putting River Bend Ranch behind her, she urged Ace into a lope and went a mile before a ringing sound split through the air. Ace shied and tried to bolt but Sam kept him steady. Sam yanked the cellphone from her saddebag and answered it.**

**"Hello?" Sam answered angerly. Brynna had bought the Razor for her 16th birthday much to her father's dismay. He disliked the cellphone. **

**"Samantha! Where are you at this time of the night!?" Her father's also angered voice yelled into the phone.**

**"I was going to just go a mile up the road to check on those cougar prints that you told me to look at. You know, the ones that led to Three Ponies?" **

**"Oh...ok...but get home now." Her father commanded before hanging up. **

**Sam put the cellphone away after making sure it was on silent and stroked Ace to calm him down. "Sorry boy." She apologized before dismounting and grabbing a flashlight. Ace stayed by her as she searched the ground. Another set of pawprints led towards the Three Ponies but as she followed them the veered off into the brush. **

**She easily followed them to a tree. Scratch marks scored the tree which told her that the cougar climbed the tree. Sam looked at the ground surrounding the tree but no new tracks were visible. Jake had taught her how to track and she had gotten pretty good at it. Sighing, Sam mounted Ace and headed back to the road.**

**Before they could get a few steps, a roar spilt the peace. Sam gasped and kicked Ace. Ace reared up as the cougar jumped from the tree and landed on Ace's flank. Ace's fearful neigh and Sam's scream pierced the night. Sam and Ace fell backward and when saw hit the ground, she blacked out...**

**_Two weeks later..._**

**"Sam, Sam, please honey. Wake up...Please!" Gram's voiced awoke Sam from her long sleep. Sam tried to open her eyes but they felt as heavy as a thick log. Gram saw her efforts and kept repeating her name. Sam opened her eyes and light flooded her vision. She squinted and sat up slowly. Looking around she saw her dad holding her hand, Jake half asleep on a chair, Brynna holding her other hand, and Gram sitting on the foot of the hospital bed.**

**"Where am I?" Sam asked sleepily. **

**You're in the hospital, Honey." Gram said slowly. **

**"Where is Ace? The cougar, and Ace, and...and...I don't remember!" Sam broke out in tears and her Dad expained everything. **

**"Ace's flank was scratch severly and the cougar left pretty good wounds on Ace's back and neck. Ace got free from the cougar and the cougar went after you. It scratched your arm," Sam looked down at her right arm to see a long scar down her arm, "but before it could do anymore damage, Ace must have trampled it and killed it.**

**"When Brynna went to go look for you, she saw Ace by the barn without you having a fit and torn up. She took the Buick and found you, called 911, and here you are, two weeks later. You were in a coma." Her Dad took a deep breath and sighed.**

**Sam's eyes widened and she saw that Jake woke up and was staring at her. She looked at everyone and said firmly, "I want to see Ace." **

**_After Sam recovered..._**

**Gram's Buick pulled into the parking lot at Dr. Scott's clinic. It parked and the car doors flung open. Sam eased herself out of the car and used her crutches to rush to the clinic barn without anyone else. They all went into the office to get Dr. Scott. Sam hopped with the crutches to a large box stall that she guessed Ace was in. A large black blanket had been put up to hide the animal inside.**

**Sam heard squeals, rustling, and the sound of hooves striking the sides of the stall. She discarded the crutches and leaned against the stall. 'I don't know why they make me go around with those crutches. I don't need them. I can walk.' She thought as she unbolted the door silently. She poked her head in the come face to face with Ace. **

**Ace half-reared, spun around, and walked into the corner of a stall. Sam gasped at the scars covering his body. Ace swung his head around to look at her with sad eyes. A stray tear ran down her face as she stepped forward. Ace pinned his ears back but she kept going. "Ace...Ace..." Her voice faded away and she kept moving towards him. Ace spun around and pricked his ears at her.**

**Sam smiled and held out her hand, revealing a sugar cube. Ace took a step forward and lipped the sugar cube from her hand. Sam stroked his muzzle and he nickered softly. Sam carefully hugged his neck and Ace didn't even wince. "Good boy. I love you. I'm taking you home today whether my family or Dr. Scott thinks otherwise." Sam left the stall and grabbed her crutches.**

**She ran towards the office and entered the air conditioned room. "Why hello, Sam! How are you?" Dr. Scott asked as he held out his hand. Sam shook it and leaned her crutches against the doorway. Dr. Scott's blonde hair and rimmed glasses gave him a friendly look. He was a young doctor but knew a lot. "I'm fine...can I go see Ace? I didn't see him, I couldn't find his stall." She lied with ease.**

**"Yes, you can, but not without us. Have some of the cookies your grandmother brought." He snatched a cookie and took a bite of the oatmeal goodness. Sam shook her head. "No, I had some at home. I will go see Berry." Berry was a red roan mustang that was born in captivity and was at the clinic because of a case of colic that she pulled through.**

**Her family and the vet nodded and she left. Before she went to the barn she grabbed a halter and two lead ropes that she managed to sneak under the seat in the Buick. She walked calmly into the barn and stopped at Berry's stall. She was munching on a little bit of hay contently. Sam didn't disturb her but kept going to Ace's stall. She gently removed the part of the blanket that covered the top half of the stall door.**

**Ace put his head over the stall and nuzzled Sam affectionately. Sam laughed and slipped the halter over Ace's head. She clipped the lead ropes on each side of the halter, unbolted the stall door, threw it open, and led Ace out. He welcomed her on his back and didn't protest. 'Must not be in pain anymore.' She thought and they went out of the back of the barn.**

**Ace pulled into a lope headed onto the road. Fortunately the roads were clear. What seemed to be two hours later, Ace jogged over the La Charla bridge ans galloped to the barn. Sam dismounted, put him into the pasture, and raced into the house. Only when she made it to her room did she think about what her family would say.**

**Sam would probably get punished severely. 'I'm not going through that.' She thought as she imagined Ace being taken away from her. She made her decision and grabbed all of her clothes and shoved them into two bookbags from years before. Once the were full she grabbed another bag and put her hair brush, tooth brush, a box of 5 bottles of toothpaste, a pack of toilet paper that Gram always kept handy, a box of deoderant, ans other necessities. **

**When she went back to her room and put a picture of her mother into her pocket and grabbed a full of money. She had been saving up since she was 10 and had to have atleast a couple thousands of dollars in there. She put it in her bag and carried the bags downstairs. She quickly went out to the barn and grabbed a sack. She put grooming tools, a vet bag, grain, and backup gear in the sack. Sam headed out to the pasture with Ace's tack and tacked him up. She led him to the barn where she stopped at Dark Sunshine and Tempest's stall. Two halter and lead ropes were hanging on the stall.**

**Leaving Ace outside the stall, she haltered the mare and foal and led them out of the stall. Dark Sunshine, aka Sunny, was broke a month after Tempest was born. She saddled her up quickly and tied two of the bags to her saddle. She tied the other bags and the sack to Ace's saddle and tied Tempest's lead rope to the horn of Sunny's saddle. Sam led them all out and mounted Ace. **

**Sam clucked Ace into a jog and Sunny kept pace and so did Tempest. Tempest was now six months old and she was going to be weaned but because of Sam's predictament it was delayed. The horses headed up the ridge at a rough canter. Tempest charged ahead as far as the lead rope would allow her. They left River Bend Ranch behind them...forever.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Jake hung up the phone. Brynna had called him to ask him if he saw Sam anywhere. When he said no she had broke out into tears. She explained that they had been at Dr. Scotts for three hours talking and only before they left did they notice that Sam wasn't with them. They searched the barn and found that Ace was also gone. They tracked them to the road where they lost them.**

**When they had gone back home to see if they were there they found their tracks again. They then found all of Sam's clothes gone and supplies. Dark Sunshine and Tempest, the vet supplies, and tack were all missing. They found out that the tracks led up the ridge then disappeared. Jake took a deep, shaky breath. 'Why am I so worried about the brat? She will be back soon, she ain't tough enough.' Jake thought to calm himself down even though he himself knew it was a lie.**

**_With Sam..._**

**Sam drank from the cool watering hole thankfully. Ace, Sunny, and Tempest ate grass happily untacked near the bank. Suddenly, Ace and Sunny's head shot up and they gazed at the other side of the watering hole with pricked ears. Alarmed, Sam moved quickly over to them and began to tack them up. Whatever was on the opposite back allowed her to tack them up and mount up before it moved. A silver streak shot along the bank, advancing towards them.**

**Recognition soon told Sam that it was the Phantom. He slid to a stop ten yards away from them and tossed his head. Sam kept the horses still and watched the Phantom. He lowered his head in the herding position and moved toward them in a swinging walk. He circled them before coming up the rear and herding them forward. The horses submitted to his movements and Sam was forced to give in, not that she didn't want to.**

**An hour later they were, for some odd reason, heading towards Three Ponies. Sam looked questionably at the Phantom and he kept pushing the horses forward. Finally, a half mile away from the farm house that the Ely's lived in, the Phantom stopped them. The slam of a truck sounded and Ace shied and Sam, unprepared, fell. Ace took off and Sunny, Tempest, and the Phantom followed suit. **

**Sam gaped after them and shook her head in disbelief. Her best friends just abandoned her. She watched as they disappeared into the darkness. Sam guessed that they would take the long way around Three Ponies so they weren't captured. She crawled behind a large boulder and shivered. Her white short sleeved shirt was not enough for this cool night. She would have gotten a sweatshirt but Ace and Sunny had taken off with everything. **

**After sitting behind that boulder for a good 20 minutes, she saw the Phantom's foggy shape start to start to form from the darkness. 'They must have run at a full gallop to make it around Three Ponies in 20 minutes.' Sam thought as she slowly stood. The Phantom cautiously pranced in place and he kept his eyes on her. The secret name. The secret name. "Zanzibar." She whispered to the magnificient stallion. Trust exploded in the stallion's eyes and he took a hesitant step closer.**

**Soon, he was in stroking range. Sam cautiously raised her hand up, a centimeter every second, until it was held palm-up under his nose. His furry whiskers tickled her palm as he lipped at it. When it held nothing, he took a step back. "It's ok, Zanzibar." She whispered softly and he came up and pushed her with his head. Sam stumbled backward a bit but recovered and placed her hand on his muzzle. When he didn't protest, she stroked his head, then his neck, his muscular shoulder, until she was at his side.**

**When she just stood there in awe that he was letting her that close, he turned his elegant head and pushed her forward so she came in contact with his side. Sam's eyes widened but she understood. She placed her left hand on his withers and her right near his rump and gave a short leap into the air. Pushing with all of her might she climbed onto his back. Startled at the new weight on his back, the Phantom side stepped. Sam wove her fingers through his long, wild mane and he spun around. He took off at a brisk trot towards the Three Ponies instead of around it.**

**Surprised, Sam just sat there and watched the shapes in the window eat dinner. The Phantom just waltzed right next to the house carelessly, that is untill the front door opened. Jake walked out and the Phantom stood still, obviously unseen in the moonlight. Jake also had a girl around his age following him. "So Jake, thanks for letting me meet your parents. They are wonderful!" The girl said while smiling, revealing pearly white teeth.**

**Jake rubbed the back of his neck, which meant he was embarrassed. "No big deal, Amy." Jake said while also smiling. Jake hugged her and the kissed pasionately. Sam gasped loudly in surprise and the two lovers spun around. Jake's eyes widened when he saw her on the Phantom. "Sam..." He spoke with fright. Sam narrowed her eyes. "Yeah Jake? Sorry that I caught you in the act. I was thinking about saying goodbye to you, but it seems you got a little plaything to do that for you." Sam said with disgust.**

**The Phantom darted away and ran off from Three Ponies. When the horse and rider came to edge of the river, Sam spotted the three horses that had abandoned her earliar. The phantom shook his body and went near to the horses. Sam grabbed Ace and Sunny's reins and pulled them along. The Phantom charged into the river with such ease while the horses behind them struggled. At the deepest part of the river, she heard a frightened squeal. "TEMPEST!" Sam screamed and jumped into the water. **

**She was instantly engulfed by water untill she clawed her way to the surface. The little black filly was trapped underneath her mother. She couldn't escape because of the lead rope. Sam collided into Sunny's side and untied the little filly's lead rope. The weight of Tempest pulled her under Sunny and Ace. Sam could feel that both of their hooves were only inches away from her body. When she came up on the other side of the horses Sam pulled Tempest's head from the water.**

**She couldn't hold the filly up without holding onto something. The other horses had made it to the bank already. Sam's pleading scream wafted to each side of the banks. Suddenly she saw the Phantom swimming strongly towards her. When he was near her Sam snatched a hunk of mane to hold onto and wrapped her other arm around the filly. The Phantom pulled them to freedom. **

**Sam carried the filly onto the bank and layed her down. The filly breathed in great gasps. Five minutes later the filly got up and nuzzled Sam. Letting out a sigh of relief, Sam pushed the filly towards Sunny. She lifted her up and put her on the front of the saddle. Sam had grabbed her Dad's saddle so she had a lot of room on Sunny. Sam climbed behind her and held her in place. Ace put his head on Sam's thigh and Sunny followed the Phantom. Exhausted, Sam fell asleep upright.**

**When Sam awoke, she was in the Phantom's secret valley on Sunny. The mare was waiting patiently for Sam to dismount and get her baby off of her. Sam did just that and held Tempest's halter as she untacked the horses. Happy to be set free, Sunny galloped over to the herd. She uneasily walked up to the herd. When she wasn't attacked, she grazed with the herd. Ace decided to stick like super glue to Sam, much to her annoyance.**

**Sam looked around for the Phantom and found him laying down calmly with his head tucked in and his chin rested on his chest. 'It seems this is where he takes a break once in awhile.' Sam thought while smiling at the peaceful sight of the sleeping mustang. Sam knew what she would do. She would live with the Phantom's heard. She would move when they did and only go to civilization for necessities. This was what she would do. This would make her happy.**


	3. AN

A/N: Jake doesn't really have a girlfriend, I just made her up to add to the drama. Also, thank you to my readers for encouraging me! I might not have a chapter up for a while but if today is boring I might write another. I'm sick that is why I wrote this story, out of boredom after I finished two The Phantom Stallion's books...so yeah! Keep an eye open for the chapter!


	4. Chapter 3

**Sam has been living in the wild for three weeks now. Surprisingly, the Phantom kept his herd in the valley. He seemed to be allowing Sam the time to adjust to living in the wild. She slept under the stars and when it rained she she had woken up with the herd surrounding her, keeping her dry and warm. Ace nudged her side affectionately.**

**Smiling, Sam hugged his neck. He had been there for her, staying with her the whole time while the other horses grazed. The Phantom was becoming soft and allowing her to come near her so she avoided him. The herd seemed to know that only she could be trusted out of the human race that they have discovered. They thought of her as a part of the herd.**

**Dark Sunshine had become the lead mare after a very horrible fight. The other mare had been beaten up badly. Sam had patched up the mare when she earned her trust after a few days of Sam sticking to her like glue. Sam sighed and stroked Ace's neck and rummaged through her bags. "I have absolutely nothing to wear! Tempest has destroyed everything!" Sam said aloud in distress. **

**The day before Sam had left her bags laying out while she went to go check on the beaten mare and found Tempest trampling and chewing her clothes into pieces. After Sam had found out that everything was destroyed, she made sure the money was unharmed. Today, Sam was going to Darton to go shopping. She bridled Ace and swung up onto his back.**

**She didn't ride with a saddle because she didn't want to put anymore stress on Ace then he will already have when he sees all of the hustle and bustle in Darton. Scanning the herd, she saw the Phantom putting a young colt in his place. With a small smile, she urged Ace into a lope and closed her eyes. She felt revived as the wind blew threw her hair. The money rested in her jean pocket with her hand resting ontop of it.**

**Sam used one hand to guide Ace along the path. It curved off onto an untouched path and she jogged along it cautiously. She kept a wary eye on the path for snakes. Not seeing any, she glanced to her right and saw the road that passes Three Ponies and River Bend. Ace took the bit and raced forward, curving onto the well beaten path the led along side the road. This path was used by Jake and Witch sometimes.**

**No, no. She hadn't forget what Jake did to her. She didn't understand why she even cared. Sam didn't think she liked him. 'But,' She thought, 'I guess I do like him. Why else would I care about that girl and the kiss.' Sam sighed and squeezed her legs around Ace. The had built up new muscles from living with the herd even though they stayed in the secret valley. They still moved around the village and she had to forage.**

**She contemplated how long it would take her to get to Darton. About a day, she guessed, if Ace needed a lot of rest. Just on cue, Ace started to slow until he was at a slow jog that could have been mistaken as a walk. Looking to her right again she saw that she was passing the La Charla. Squinting, she saw that no one was home. 'Probably looking for me.' Sam turned Ace.**

**They walked along the La Charla until they were under the willows. This is where Sunny had chosen her filly, Tempest, and captivity over going with the Phantom. Sunny got her wish now. She lived in the wild herd with the Phantom. Sam slid off of Ace and left him to drink without is bridle so if someone passed and saw him he would look like a wild mustang. **

**Just then a truck rambled past and turned to go over the bridge leading to the ranch. It stopped midway across the bridge and the door was opened. To Sam's dismay, Jake was the one coming out of the truck. He looked straight at her with those tomcat eyes. She stood till and hoped he couldn't see her but she was dead obvious in her yellow t-shirt and blue jeans.**

**"Samantha Anne." He yelled to her. Frozen with fear, Sam just stared at him. "Jake." She yelled back while inching her way over to Ace. "Get over here now!" He yelled back. When she didn't make a move towards him, he started running across the bridge. He was coming at her. Sam didn't have time to put the bridle on so she threw it over her head so it was like a necklace.**

**Ace sensed her urgency and turned on his heels and rolled his eyes when he saw Jake. Jake slid to a stop and raised his arms up as Ace rose into the air, throwing his feet out infront of him like a stallion. The geldings hooves came down inches from Jake and Ace galloped past him. Sam grabbed fistfuls of his mane and gripped Ace's sides with all she had.**

**Behind her, she heard Jake yell, "Damn!" before she was out of hearing range. Ace continued his frenzy gallop until he tired about an our later. "Wow boy, your mustang blood kicked in!" Sam exclaimed as she sat straight, her back aching for bending over his neck for an hour. 'Four more hours." She thought aloud and Ace took long strides at a trot. He had a pumped up attitude after that excitement.**

**_In Darton..._**

**Ace snorted at cars as they whizzed by. Sam had met a nice family that had allowed her to keep Ace in their backyard. She went up to Cindy, who was the mother. "If you don't mind, I was be pleased if your children didn't make any quick movements try to ride him, or annoy him in anyway. He is a bit...well...wild." Sam explained and got a brisk nod from Cindy. "I will try to the best of my abilities."**

**Sam had a long walk to the clothing shop and when she made it there, she was tired. When she opened the door, a bell rang and cool air from a fan met her face. A sigh of happiness was released from her lungs as she walked to the women's section. People around her went along with their own business as she searched the racks. Some scrunched their noses at her dirty look.**

**Sam had maintained a healthy hygiene while in the wild. Any source of water she found went for her use as drinking water and bathing water. Sam chose a t-shirts in various colors, ten pairs of jeans, and, for randomness, a long silk wedding like dress. She didn't know why she chose it but it appealed to her. 'It is the color of the Phantom, that is why I like it.' Sam told herself. Sam wasn't keen on dresses but she liked this.**

**After grabbing sweatpants, jackets, bras, and underwear, Sam went to the checkout desks. "Thank you for shopping." The cashier said boredly as she gave her the total amount of money and hauled her bags out. When she made it back to the kind family's home, she heard Ace's annoyed snort and squeals. She threw open the backyard gate and tossed the bags aside. **

**The children were trying to pets him and some were yanking on his tail. "Get back!" Sam ordered and moved to Ace's head. She calmed him down using her words. The children guiltily rushed inside the house. Cindy came over and looked exhausted. "I'm so sorry. I couldn't do anything. My children brought other children and..." Cindy explained with a drained voice. Sam lay a comforting hand on Cindy. "It's ok. You couldn't have done anything. Children are children."**

**Cindy smiled warmly and Sam also smiled. Sam bridled Ace and collected her bags. Ace pawed the ground and Sam got onto his back with her bags and Cindy gave her pieces of string. Sam thanked her and tied bags together. The bags were evenly distributed on each side of Ace by the strings. Sam thanked Cindy once again and headed back. **

**At night time...**

**Sam had made a quick stop at the grocery store before going to get Ace at Cindy's so she had plenty of food. Sam had bought a sleeping bag and travel pillow and lay down to sleep in a small cluster of trees out in the wilderness. Ace ate grass next to her and went she began to drift off into sleep, he lay down, which was unusual for him, and rested his muzzle of her shoulder.**

**Sam dreamed of the Phantom. The Phantom was racing along the ridge, tossing his mane and snorting at the birds who dared to challenge him at this speed. He looked so wild, so free, but...so alone. The loneliness left his eyes when they shifted to her. Sam smiled in her dream has the Phantom switched courses and came to her. '_Zanzibar...Zanzibar...Blackie...I love you..._' She said in her dreams.**

**--- The wedding dress...**


End file.
